


Answer the Call

by maryjo24



Category: CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gore, M/M, Serial Killers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 13:31:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9074008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maryjo24/pseuds/maryjo24
Summary: Jared Padalecki's at the top of his game, everyone's darling, and fresh off a break-up (albeit, unlamented), he meets and immediately hits it off with photographer Jensen Ackles. But there are dark influences that threaten the emerging relationship, a darkness that rises with the new moon and leads to death.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by and written for kelios' moody art prompt [here](http://kelios.livejournal.com/83132.html), in the first ever J2 Reversebang.

  


APRIL

__

He hadn’t even intended to visit the nursery. He’d only come to pick a few parts that he needed to fix his claw. But instead of walking through the automatic doors that would take him inside the hardware store, he was drawn to the outdoor section where the gate still stood open. Maybe it was the early evening moon that shed beams of soft light that through the misty drizzle of spring rain seemed to create a path for him to follow. And once he moved through the door and heard the snippet of conversation between the clerk and the man checking out at the counter, he knew, the signs were clear. This was the month, and this man was proudly talking about his wife’s ultrasound, triplets, they were expecting triplets! Such a virile man would be a fitting honorific for his latest offering and he knew it was meant to be.

MAY

Jared sighed as Misha pushed through the door of his office and plopped down in the seat in front of his desk. In her hands, he had the black book that he kept track of his schedule. Regardless that he also kept his electronic calendar updated (at Jared’s insistence), Misha still argued on maintaining a handwritten lexicon of Jared’s life, not trusting the infallibility of modern technology. At least the man was good at his job, and put up with Jared’s eccentricities, good reason to keep him around as his buffer to the outside world.

Jared continued to flip through the papers in front of him, initially a few, making notes on others, finally signing off at the end of a couple, knowing that his assistant would wait patiently until he would finally look up and acknowledge his presence. As he initialed the last contract, he made a point to open his scheduling app, glancing down the list of meetings and appointments for the next few days before he finally spoke.

“Alright Misha, I see you have the bible, what have I got on the schedule that I don’t already see here?”

“There’s likely quite a bit, my bible as you call it, contains information that you wouldn’t want electronic footprints left about for any snoopy secretary or clever hacker to meander across. This week though, not much. Jacob Anders is scheduled for tomorrow AM at 9. Remember that he’s a pretty casual guy, so dress down accordingly and nothing flashy. You want him on your side of the Pentax merger. The rest of your morning’s free but plan on leaving early at 3. Richings has completed altering your tux and wants you in for a final fitting before the auction.”

Anticipating Jared’s complaint, Misha continued without pause, “And before you try to weasel out of it, you’re going to the auction. It’s good for your image ergo good for the company, bid exorbitantly and take home a few overpriced pieces, be seen supporting the cause. And if you really don’t find anything to your taste, donate the pieces back, pick up a few more brownie points.”

Jared leaned back with a huff, “Anything I should know about Friday’s meeting with Johnson?”

Misha shook his head, “I figure you’ve got that one well covered. I’ll send flowers that afternoon to Sophia, and you should plan on picking her up at 7. I’ve booked dinner reservations at Livingstons for 8, should give you plenty of time to arrive fashionably late to check out the art before the auction begins.”

“Thanks Misha, as much as I grouse, I do appreciate it.” Jared smiled, knowing it and the regard was expected.

“It’s my job and you pay me well. Oh, and try to keep the workout schedule to a minimum the next couple days. Julian was complaining that if he had to take that tux out one more time, he was going to get creative and stick red silk gussets in at the shoulders and across the chest. I personally think it would be an improvement to the white, pair it up with a black shirt, you’ll look rather like a baroque harlequin, very artsy.”

Jared snorted, “Get out of here Misha, see you in the morning.”

***

Dinner that Friday devolved into a long-winded rant from Sophia that he was an emotionally unavailable, manipulative asshole and ended with a final “fuck you!” as she flounced out of the restaurant. For the sake of his image, he probably should have put more effort into his attempts to soothe her anger, maybe chase after her to calm her down long enough to go to the auction. But he couldn’t find it within him to continue the farce. He and Sophia had been an item for nearly a year, but he really didn’t feel that much different. And now, he was waltzing in early enough for the cocktail hour. Silver lining, he thought as he swiped a flute of champagne off the tray carried by a passing waiter. The least he could do is put on that likeable persona that he has worked on and make nice with the city’s elite. Years of practice allowed him to pass as someone who cared, nod at the right times, interject with proper platitudes and the image of Jared Padalecki was set. And sans any clinging arm candy tonight, he decided he would work that image to ensure he at least had an enjoyable after party.

Throughout the room, the pieces up for auction were artfully display. All were produced and donated by local artists, some professional and some amateurs, and the proceeds from the auction were to benefit the Childrens Hospital. Since he would have to bid on and take home a few, checking out the offerings was a good place to start his see-and-be-seen endeavor.

The first couple pieces were basic still life oil paintings, nothing spectacular, and not really something that he would want hanging on his wall. At least one of them was large enough to make an impressive display in the building foyer, and probably pricey enough that he might get away with bidding on only one item. He made a note of it and moved on to the next section which was primarily pottery. Definitely not in his interests but he saw the Johnsons in deep conversation with another couple he didn’t recognize and wandered over to begin working on the be-seen part of the night’s venture.

As he drew close, he heard Candice Johnson speaking in hushed tones, “And Kim Rhodes said that the poor man was split all the way open from his neck all the way down. His heart was ripped out and shredded to pieces. And this one had seeds spread all around him. They didn’t realize it at first because of all the blood!”

“So tragic, he and his wife had just found out they were pregnant, she’s expecting triplets and now she’ll be all alone raising them.” The other woman in the group shook her head sadly as she spoke. Jared though saw the gleam of excitement that she tried to hide in her expression. So typical of this crowd, as the Bad Company lyrics ran through his mind, she can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye, and the speaker’s platinum hair and overdone makeup seemed especially appropriate. At that moment, Ken Johnson noticed him.

“Jared! Good to see you, how are you?”

“Can’t complain, pleasant libations,” he raised his glass, “Excellent company, worthy cause, it doesn’t get much better.”

“And the lovely Sophia? Scouting out the offerings for that one piece she’ll insist you break out your checkbook for?”

“I guess I got lucky on that account, Sophia had to cancel but insisted I go without her.” Leaving the actual breakup out of the conversation seemed like the simplest course of events, it would get out soon enough. Besides, the latest murder was definitely more interesting and he didn’t want to side-track the current conversation. If Janice was getting her information straight from Chief Rhodes, no doubt there were details not released to the public. Ken often complained about Candi’s addiction to ID televison, he could only imagine the interrogation she might have inflicted on Kim Rhodes over lunch.

“So Candy, are the police final admitting that we’ve got a serial killer out there?”

And as simple as that, he was drawn into Candice Johnson’s orbit as she did a programming worthy report of their town’s own serial killer and regaled her audience with the known and not so known facts. One murder a month, now in the fourth month. All male adults, bodies mauled and mangled by blades of some sort, heart ripped from the body. While the police have stopped short of saying that the murders were committed by the same suspect, they have confirmed that similarities in the crime suggest that they are related. The press has gone all the way and after the third death, their killer had a name, the Werewolf.

The circumstances of the first death were well-known as the body was discovered in a secluded clearing of the nearby forest by a few of the local boys. The man had been missing for six days, and however the body might have been left originally, the scene was compromised as wolves had gotten to the body post-mortem. And before the boys contacted the police, they proceeded to take pictures and post them on line. The police had been more successful at keeping the details of the later victims under wraps, but Candi had a few of the unreleased details.

February’s was found buried beneath a large pile of snow. As if the killer didn’t want his new kill disturbed by animals, a tip was phoned in on the location of the clearing just a few hours after the victim’s disappearance. What was left of the heart was in an open mesh bag suspended from the top of a long pole, tantalizing but unobtainable by anything without opposable thumbs, and the bottom of the pole had been driven into the deep snow pile through the victim’s empty chest cavity to the earth underneath, pinning the man to the frozen ground. 

The third victim had been found in the early morning hours at the edge of a field. A shallow hole had been dug in the thawing fertile soil, the mangled body tossed in with not apparent posing. The heart had been eviscerated and the pieces flung around the body. And in a macabre touch, earthworms burrowing around the thawing dirt had slithered into the body through the multiple slash wounds. 

As the conversation turned to theories about who might be the perpetrator, who were recent arrivals and therefore the most likely suspects, and possible motives, Jared excused himself to check out the other items up for auction, his curiosity satisfied. A pat on the back and a promise to meet up for the lunch the next week, he was able to make his escape. There were only a few displays he hadn’t seen and nothing else had caught his eye until he was drawn to the back corner and a grouping of large black and white photographs. He nodded absently to a few people milling around that he knew but was entranced by the photos. They were of all of men, apparently nude, and skillfully posed so that any body parts that if exposed would push the photo into the pornographic category, were hidden in shadows. The only color in each were on the eyes, that feature completely covered in a single, opaque splash that matched the title card beneath each photo. 

One in particular, Green, was especially attractive and tread the line between eroticism and pornography the closest. The model stood at an angle to the camera, his legs spread, the dimple high on his butt cheek dark amidst the bright splash of reflected light. Between his legs, a slightly darker mass hung low but any definition of the shape was successfully obscured by the shadows. Unlike the subjects of the other photos, this one was broader and more muscled, and confidently masculine . Strength radiated from the still life, the muscles seemed coiled and ready to spring to action. Only one grass green eye was visible, his face visible only in profile. Jared knew he would not be out-bid on this one, he would be taking it home.

“So what do you think?” The question, coming from slightly behind him and spoken in a low baritone startled him into motion. He took a quick step sideways and turned to look at the speaker. The man was slightly shorter but almost the same size in bulk and girth as Jared. His hair was close cropped on the sides but fuller on top, somewhat lighter than the dark reddish blonde of his thick beard. It was his eyes though that had Jared turning to look at Green, and back again to compare the rest of the facial features he could make out with the man behind him.

The man smiled with some chagrin as he rubbed the back of his neck, and acknowledged Jared’s suspicions, “Yeah, that’s me, kind of a self-portrait. Not sure why I included it, but something just told me I should tonight.”

“Wait, you’re the photographer?”

“I am, J Ackles,” he pointed at the card below the photographs, “J for Jensen.”

“Jared, Jared Padalecki. And these are amazing, Jensen. Photography isn’t usually something I look at as art, but these, wow.” Jared smiled wide, decision made, assuming that Jensen’s apparent fondness for the male form in his art extended to his preferences in his personal life as well.

His smile was returned, so Jared ventured on, “Can I buy you a drink then before the auction begins?”

“It’s an open bar, so not really impressed with your inaugural pickup line,” Jensen jabbed with a grin.

“Well, then I’ll make sure the bartender uses the top shelf stuff.”

“Alright, you’re on.”

A few hours later, Jared was the new owner of a large oil painting and the even prouder owner of Green.

***

__

More signs, the new moon is nearly arrived and this man has come into his life. The other half of his dyad, he senses their alikeness, their shadows, and all is suddenly so much clearer then when he first began. Bathed under the light of the moon this evening, they’d stood together and it was as if they had always been one. He wanted to share everything with him then, whisper the truths in his ear, hear from him his truths. But he knew it was too soon for him, he wasn’t yet ready to accept his destiny. But if their first intimacy was a portent of what was to come, then he is sure it won’t be long. As he pushed into him, felt the clench of his inviting heat, he was nearly overwhelmed by how right it felt. Each thrust brought them closer together until he could no longer tell where one ended and one began. And later he shared the same of himself. The rightness cannot be denied, the signs won’t be ignored.

_He has almost a month to show him his potential, what they are meant to be. Then they will no longer be separate and alone. They will be together and as one, two halves of the same soul finally reunited with so much more to accomplish._

***

Jared rushed into the office, his meeting had run late and he was supposed to meet Jensen in less than an hour. Misha stood up as he entered.

“Misha, call Jensen and let him know I’m running late.” He called as he unknotted his tie.

“Actually, Jensen called a while ago, said he’d been trying to call but you weren’t picking up. He said he needed to cancel.”

That stopped Jared short. Jensen had been the one that insisted they had to get together tonight so Jared had rearranged his schedule, and not easily, to accommodate him.

“What? Did he say anything else?” 

Misha shook his head, “Just told me to tell you he was sorry and he’d call you tomorrow.

Jared felt the tendrils of anger wind around his heart as he slammed the door of his office. After the auction, things had moved between them at record speed and they’d been together nearly every moment that their separate schedules allowed. But maybe it had been too fast, they came from different worlds, the artist and the businessman, it shouldn’t work. And yet somehow it did, separate worlds, but so much of everything else that really mattered in common. Jared had never clicked with someone so quickly, so tightly. Jensen had somehow wound his way in, become the focus of so many of his thoughts. But now Jensen had canceled their plans, and not only that, had canceled them with a lie, Jensen had never tried calling, that he knew.

***

_Around him, the notes of the popular tune stretched, reverberated like a living thing. Like cattle, the people came, they didn’t know what drew them, but they all came seeking the same validation, proof that they existed, proof that they mattered, but he knew the real truth, he knew the reason, and he could show them, but so little time was left. He swept his glance over the crowding masses and saw no one worthy, nothing but pathetic, mewling wastes, clawing desperately for something that they couldn’t define. And come morning, they would be left wanting. All but one._

He wasn’t sure why he decided to come here this evening, he should have just gone home and nursed his anger over some scotch. Instead he’s nursing a beer at this out of the way dive alone. It was popular, as was obvious by the crowd, but not the kind of place that either of them really enjoyed, tacky and a cliché. Looking around, he stopped as he recognized the figure in the dark corner of the bar.

_And he could always find the one, it never took long before he was revealed. And sure enough, there he was, a smirk on his face as their eyes met, like he thought he had a chance. Putting a smile on his own face, the one that he practiced in the mirror that projected timidity and invitation, he nodded shyly._

What the ever-loving fuck? There was his supposed boyfriend giving the nod to some asshole, after canceling on him but still going to the place they’d planned to meet. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t go over there himself and confront the situation himself but he was frozen in place, as if waiting for something. He didn’t have to wait long for the reveal. As the asshole wound his way through the crowd, Jensen looked up and in a suspended moment their eyes met. Instead of the shock and embarrassment at being caught that Jared expected to see in his boyfriend’s expression, it was predatory and triumphant. A fleeting expression that morphed back to timidity as Jensen’s prey sidled up next to him.

Jared was too far away to hear the conversation, but could easily read the expressions and the body language. He was still angry at the original deception, but now that he understood the intent was not what he originally believed, he settled back to watch the performance. A performance that invited too much bodily contact for Jared’s taste, but he restrained himself, willing to wait for the endgame.

It was very long before Jensen nodded to the unsuspecting man and rose from the stool. He made a show of patting his lips with a napkin and set it down on the bar as he followed after his prey. Once the door closed behind them, Jared rushed over to the bar and grabbed the napkin before it could be cleared away to the trash. Stuffing it in his pocket, he waited what he hoped was a respectable amount of time before following out of the bar.

***

It was perfect, Jared had reacted exactly the way he was supposed to and Jensen had little doubt that he’d follow the breadcrumbs and would be arriving shortly. In the meantime, he began to set the stage for his audition. He was nearly certain that it would all work out exactly as all the signs seemed to suggest, so certain that he really didn’t have a contingency plan if Jared’s reaction was unexpected. He’d just have to deal with it but he didn’t think it would be necessary.

Trev, as the sap had introduced himself, had been easy to subdue. So far, all of them had been, always looking at what Jensen showed them and never trying to look further, to recognize the threat. Quickly, he stripped the unconscious man and dragged him over to arbor that lay within a swath of moonlight. This was the month of flowers and the tall arbor was fitting for the ritual. He slipped on thick leather work gloves to minimize the chance of accidental pricks from the bougainvillea thorns. Knotting some rope he found in the gardener’s shed around Trev’s wrists, he threw the other end of the rope over the arbor and went around the back to pull the man upright, securing the rope at the base of the thick frame of the arbor.

Once he was satisfied that Trev was secure, he began pulling the flowery vines loose from the arbor and winding them around the arms and legs first, then the neck, hips, and head. The thorns provided their own anchors, the rivulets of blood with each new piercing added to the beauty of the tableau. At some point, Trev’s eyes flew open wide, pained and teary, but the paralytic kept him from moving and destroying Jensen’s artistry. 

Finally satisfied everything was set, he went back over to his duffel, dropped the workgloves, and pulled out his camera. The new moon shone bright overhead, almost as if it was day, and he began snapping shot after shot of the display from all angles. Then the camera went back into the duffel, the claws came out, and he stripped down. Carefully, he pulled each claw on, snugging up the straps around each finger, then his wrists. Flexing his hands, the range of movement felt right, and he knew it was almost time. The tiniest of sounds snapped in the silence of the clearing and he stood still, listening over his shoulder, and smiled.

***

Jensen hadn’t made it easy and Jared knew that was his intent. By the time he’d deciphered the clues, Jensen had already started. And what did it say about him that the shock he should have expected at seeing his boyfriend about to kill another human being never came. When he should have been dialing 911, he stood immobile, transfixed by the scene unfolding in front of him. This was the Werewolf, and it was time for his May kill, always around the nights of the new moon. Every movement was steady and practiced, beautiful in its flow. And when he accidentally stepped on a branch, Jensen stopped and it was almost as if he was deliberately posing in the same way that Jared had first seen him in the photograph at the auction.

The erotic reminder had him growing hard in his jeans, a hardness that didn’t go down even when the Werewolf advanced on his prey and struck the first blow with one clawed fist, into the soft underbelly, and driving up into the chest. Over and over the claws struck, rending skin and tissue, blood splattering on the naked flesh of the Werewolf and around the clearing. As the final blow, a hand dug deep upwards into the chest cavity and when it came back out, the heart was clenched with the bloody fist.

Jensen turned towards him then, his face in beatific worship as he stared upwards to the moon. He raised the heart, then squeezed, the blood dripping down his arms, Jared was enamoured. Where ever Jensen took him next, he would follow.

~fin~


End file.
